Another interesting viewpoint that suggests our understanding of the nature of consciousness would benefit from being more inclusive appears in the book, "The Spiritual Brain," which takes on the purely materialistic view that the brain alone produces the mind and accounts for consciousness. In a methodically reasoned and admirably balanced manner, the book addresses how, … Continue reading A Spiritual Neuroscience – Mario Beauregard
A current exhibition at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, “Mummies of the World,” contains over 40 mummies and a number of artifacts related to these discoveries. In the official exhibition catalog, it states that the goal of the exhibit “is to advance the relevance of anthropology in ancient global cultures, and to provide visitors with … Continue reading Is Matter a Manifestation of the Spirit?
Tamily Weissman, Jeff Lichtman, and Joshua Sanes (2005) A recent article on the Scientific American website detailed the extraordinary work being undertaken by scientists studying the complex array of connections and neural pathways in the brain. The following link will take you to a brief video explaining the current efforts being made to track these … Continue reading Complexity in Nature – Brain Connections
Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images Whatever else may be true about the life and times of Jim Morrison, formerly of the rock group known as "The Doors," while he may have broken through and trampled on just about every boundary that was ever proposed in civil society, there can be no doubt that what … Continue reading Jim Morrison – Looking into the mirror he held up to us.
This gem of a book struck me as one of the best examples of a scientist who is unafraid of stretching the boundaries of how to view the workings of our mind. How easily she glides between science and metaphor and yet remains solidly in the science camp as a rule! Her discussion in chapter … Continue reading An Alchemy of Mind
Date: ca. 1857 George Eastman House Collection Perhaps more than any other American writer of his day, Emerson embodied not only the intrepid American spirit, but also the extraordinary individual spirit at the very core of each of us. His many invaluable contributions to American literature, while clearly the product of a very different time … Continue reading Ralph Waldo Emerson and Transcendence
Now that the traditional celebration of Father's Day has passed, it feels appropriate to reflect a bit on the thoughts inspired by the events of the past few days, which, for me, relate directly to the nature of parenting generally, and to being a father in particular. Both mothers and fathers have vitally important contributions … Continue reading Reflecting on Fatherhood
A news report today about the status of Representative Gabrielle Giffords, and her progress in recovering from the injury she sustained five months ago, and another regarding the status of her attacker, Jared Loughner, both speak to the essential roles of the brain, the mind, and the spirit, in the challenge to understand the nature … Continue reading The Brain, The Mind, and The Spirit
One of the most compelling forces behind much of my writing also happens to be one of the most important reasons why we should question the current wisdom of the modern study of human consciousness. Aside from acknowledging the central role that consciousness plays in our existence and the nearly complete lack of comprehension of … Continue reading Conscious Machines?
Ever since the hominid brain evolved sufficiently to provide modern humans with a degree of cognitive talent that still surpasses any other known species, the blossoming of conscious awareness slowly provided Homo sapiens with the ability to not only be aware that they exist, but to utilize this new ability deliberately and with purpose. It … Continue reading The Voice of Thought
John's Consciousness 